FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

A: Unfortunately, regardless of what any physician states, a surgeon is only as good as his/her results and patient satisfaction. Regardless of your orthopedic condition or medical problem, it is important that you do your homework before seeing any physician. Surgery is an art requiring intellect and problem solving skills, as well as superb hand-eye coordination, fine motor and 3-D spatial skills. Dr. Bailie focuses only on shoulder and knee problems and prides himself on being the best at his field, allowing his work to speak for itself.

A: Unfortunately, there is not any one place for patients to obtain reliable information. Because of federal privacy laws, much of the needed data is unavailable to the public. Insurance companies rate physicians based upon their utilization of services and costs, NOT THE QUALITY OF THEIR WORK. Online rating sites are unreliable, although numerous complaints for one doctor may indicate a problem. Because all physicians have both good and bad reviews, it is important to ask as many people as possible-friends, family, co-workers , etc., for their opinions before seeking medical attention for an elective problem. At the minimum, make sure the physician is board certified and has at least 10 years of experience because it takes 10 years or 10,000 hours of repetition to become an expert. Check the state board for complaints and lawsuit history. Finally, interview the physician at the time of your first appointment. You can always make a change if you are not comfortable. This is YOUR HEALTH so take control of it.

A: You may call 480-264-6995 and speak to Patricia or email us at appointment@azisks.com.

A: You may contact us at 480-264-6995 and speak to Patricia or email us at industrial@azisks.com if your claim has been accepted.  If you are an occupational medicine facility, adjuster or nurse case manager, you may contact Samantha or Patricia via email or phone and they will schedule the appointment.

A:  You will need your full legal name, date of birth, insurance information including name, policy number and group number, policyholder’s name and contact information (if different from yours) and a credit card (except if worker’s compensation).

A: A credit or debit card is required but is not charged unless you violate our no-show policy, at which time you may be charged for the visit. Please read our policy HERE

A: Yes, Federal and state laws require several forms to be completed at all visits. For NEW patients, you must complete the following forms:

1. New patient health history
2. ALL 5 forms in the New Patient Financial Agreements section of the Front Office page
3. Supplemental Medicare Opt out form if you are a Medicare patient
4. Both shoulder evaluation forms if you are being seen for a shoulder problem

ALL forms are provided in fillable PDF format on the FRONT OFFICE page of our website and can be emailed to appointment@azisks.com, faxed to 855-661-0505 OR brought with you to your appointment after completion. Please complete these PRIOR to your appointment.

A: Yes. By law you will need to complete an updated medical history form. If you are a shoulder patient, please also complete the shoulder form. All other patients only need to complete the medical history form. Please see the front office tab by clicking HERE

A: You may cancel your appointment with no charge at least 24 hours in advance. Please see the no show cancellation policy. Contact our office as soon as possible to avoid charges. Please click HERE to see the policy.

A: We try to accommodate everyone as soon as possible.  We realize that everyone’s problem is urgent to them. If you have an ACUTE injury, we will try to work you in sooner so we can provide the best treatment. For problems that have existed for more than a few weeks, please book your appointment for next available and we can place you on a wait list in case we have a cancellation. Please realize that Dr. Bailie may be full because he is often in high demand and we do our best to see everyone promptly.

A: Schedule the appointment just like any new patient and complete the required forms. If you have had surgery on the same body part, please bring the operative report AND arthroscopic pictures (if applicable) to your appointment. Also bring the MRI/CT scan films AND reports (report alone is not sufficient) to your visit.

A: If you have had surgery within the last year, you must first send all records regarding that problem, including office notes from your treating physician, operative reports and imaging reports to Dr. Bailie. He will review the records and make a decision about whether he can help you. If he feels he can help or it is appropriate to see you, he will have his staff contact you for an appointment. He will NOT see you if you have had surgery by another surgeon within the last year until AFTER he has had a chance to review the records. If you schedule an appointment, please bring the actual MRI/CT films (not just reports) and copies or original surgical photos to the appointment. Please note that an opinion by Dr. Bailie does not guarantee that he will agree to be your treating physician if you have already had surgery and he may direct you back to your original physician

A: We realize your time is valuable and we strive to see everyone promptly to minimize wait time in our office. Over 2 decades we have discovered that the primary reasons we run behind are that patients show up late or right at their scheduled time and have not done their paperwork, thus delaying the appointment. This creates a domino effect and increases wait times as the day passes. Arriving on time and having already completed the paperwork will facilitate a timely appointment for everyone. As a courtesy to those who do arrive on time, late arrivals or unprepared patients (need to complete paperwork) will be required to wait or be charged the late fee.

A: Dr. Bailie is an expert in knee and shoulder problems. He will look at both shoulders OR both knees but not a knee and shoulder at the same visit. Unfortunately, insurance companies will no longer reimburse for evaluation of multiple problems. We know this is inconvenient and we have tired to discuss this with insurance carriers, to no avail.

A: Dr. Bailie appreciates that when patients pay out of pocket, they expect value and service. He discounts (30-50%) his fees to patients when they pay at the time of service and in full. Discounts may not be given if payment plans are used. Insured patients with high deductibles are NOT CASH PATIENTS and insurance contracts forbid discounts of any amount if Dr. Bailie is contracted with your insurance. Please let Patricia know you are paying cash and she will provide you with our anticipated fees prior to your appointment. In addition, we are forbidden to treat you as a cash patient if we are contracted with your health plan.

A:  He is credentialed and operates at several places, all but one of which are  IN–NETWORK for all insurance plans. This includes Piper Outpatient Surgery Center at Honor Health Shea and The Orthopedic Surgical Center of Arizona (TOSCA). He also does surgery at SurgCenter Camelback, which has limited contracts (see below).

A: For the most part, you can choose which facility you would like, as we believe in patient choice. Dr. Bailie does specify the facility for some surgeries where special equipment may be needed or a possible one-night stay may be necessary.  Michelle will discuss this with you when you schedule your surgery.

A: Often, surgery at an OON facility will cost you the same or less than an in-network facility. We only use OON facilities for those that have specific benefits and choose to have surgery there. Given the OON insurance payments, deductibles and out-of-pocket costs can often be waived by the facility, resulting in less for you to pay out-of-pocket. You will always know exactly how much you will be required to pay and a comparison between OON and in-network costs will be given to you by the surgical facility so you may decide how to proceed. You are never required to go to an OON facility.

A: Dr. Bailie uses ClearSight Billing, an efficient, reputable and fair service. They will be responsible for billing your insurance and you, if applicable, and collecting all fees that are not paid in the office at the time of service. They will also be your contact for any questions, or concerns. It is important to contact them should you no be able to pay your bill to avoid being turned over to collections. Their contact information can be found in the CONTACTS tab on our website.

A: If you are using Care Credit, you will deal with them directly. Care Credit pays Dr. Bailie for services rendered and then you will be responsible for paying Care Credit based upon the agreement you have arranged with them. Dr. Bailie and his staff cannot intervene with Care Credit on your behalf.

A: An EOB is generated by your insurance company to let you know how much was billed the provider for the services and what they agree to pay. This will also list your share of costs according to your specific insurance contract. This is not a bill, only information that you can use to plan for any amount owed. You will receive a bill directly from ClearSight billing for any amount owed.

A: You will be required to pay the amount owed immediately upon receipt of a bill. The bill will not include any prepaid amounts you may have made at the time of service. Failing to pay your bill on time will result in us having to turn over your account to a collection agency and possibly garnish wages or take other measures. If you have unusual circumstances, please contact us to see if we can arrange a payment plan. Please be advised that a 30% surcharge will be added to your account if we have to send you to collections.

A: Dr. Bailie is proud to see and treat all patients. However, he is NOT contracted with some insurance plans, given the restrictions several of these plans place on his ability to care for his patients appropriately. Please contact the office for more information as this changes frequently.

A: Dr. Bailie sees many patients with insurance plans with which he is not contracted. You can still be seen and have an opinion from Dr. Bailie. However, you will be responsible for payment at the time of your visit. Dr. Bailie provides steep discounts for those patients paying for their visit so that it remains affordable to get his expert opinion. If you have OON benefits, you may submit the amount you paid to your insurance company and it will be applied to your OON deductible. If you do not have OON benefits, your insurance will likely not apply any amount towards your deductible. We cannot file any insurance claims for plans with which we are not contracted.

A: Dr. Bailie believes that providers and patients should be the only responsible parties able to make healthcare decisions. Ultimately, a physician should provide an opinion based on their training, education and experience and support it with the latest scientific evidenced-based literature. A physician should then educate patients about the reasons they make such a recommendation and present any possible alternatives. A patient must then decide what is right for them personally. Dr. Bailie believes that insurance companies have no place in the decision making process. He feels strongly that allowing insurance “rules” to dictate care would constitute negligence and is inappropriate. He does not contract with insurance carriers who violate these principles and are unethical. As this is a very dynamic area, his contracts may change from time to time.

A: Health insurance is very complicated. Much of the internal processes are unknown to providers and patients, which gives insurance companies overwhelming control. As you have a direct contract with your insurance plan, your policy defines all that you are permitted to do. The provider is ALSO separately contracted if in-network. If their contract does not align with yours, some services may not be covered. Unfortunately, there is no real way to know this ahead of time. That is why insurance plans say they need to authorize services but in fine print state, “AUTHORIZATION DOES NOT GUARANTEE PAYMENT”.

A: Often patients who see Dr. Bailie OON pay LESS than if he was contracted with their insurance. As your insurance states you may be “balanced billed” by an OON provider (meaning you pay the difference between billed charges and what the insurance will pay), Dr. Bailie does NOT fully balance bill and can discount his services if needed. What you pay will depend upon your deductible, procedure required and what OON benefits you may have. If you need surgery, you are only required to pay Dr. Bailie’s fees and not the facility, physical therapy or anesthesia, less your deductible. Again, our aim is to provide you with the best, highest quality, affordable care.

A: Dr. Bailie has opted out of Medicare since 2006. However, he continues to see and treat Medicare patients, who have agreed to pay his fees directly. As with OON or other cash paying patients, he discounts his fees to make it very affordable for patients to seek expert care from him.

A: Discounts can only be given legally if you pay in full at the time of service. If you have to make payments, discounts cannot be applied. However, we work with Care Credit, a healthcare credit company that can pay your bill for you, in full and thus qualify you for a discount. A surcharge of 10% will be added to your fees if Care Credit is used but the cash discounts will still apply to the base physician fees. Care Credit specializes in helping patients pay medical and dental bills over time.

A: Please go to the CONTACTS page of the website for phone numbers and email addresses for all of his staff and departments.

A: At AZISKS, we provide outstanding customer service for our patients, which includes prompt answering of phone calls,.There will always be contact, with a live person, who is committed to promptly return all messages and emails without use of phone trees. As long as correct contact information is left, all messages, will be returned as soon as possible, within the same day. If you ever have an issue with prompt return of messages, please email Dr. Bailie directly at dsb@azisks.com.

A: If you think you have a true emergency, please proceed to the closest emergency room or call 911. If you have simply an urgent concern or request, call anyone on staff at AzISKS, during the weekday and they can assist immediately. You can find all contact information on the CONTACTS page of the website.

A: For after hours urgent matters (possible postoperative complication, etc.), please call our main office number at 480-264-6995 and you will be forwarded to Dr. Bailie or one of his staff for immediate assistance. Please note that PRESCRIPTION REFILLS or OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONS WILL NOT BE HANDLED AFTER HOURS. After hours calls should be for suspected URGENT matters only.

A: Dr. Bailie only prescribes medicine for actively treated patients. No pain medicines will be refilled after 5 pm on weekdays or on weekends or holidays. They will be refilled only when Dr.Bailie is in his clinical office on TUESDAYS or WEDNESDAYS, as he must personally sign them. They cannot be phoned in as prescriptions can only be given to the patient directly. Please plan ahead so you do not run out of medicine after surgery. Pain medicine will only be given to surgical patients and fracture patients and for only a specified period of time. New acute injuries may get pain medication for a few days but only at the time of the first office visit. Other medications may be refilled by e-Prescription or by Dr. Bailie’s staff calling the pharmacy on a case-by-case basis and only for medication Dr. Bailie prescribed for you originally. He will not refill, even temporarily, any medicine prescribed by another physician.

A: Dr. Bailie answers his email regularly throughout the day, 7 days a week and it is best to email him at dsb@azisks.com. He will respond and be able to assist you.